Somewhere in Between
by mystasia
Summary: "Doushite?! Aoshi-sama, why?" She whipped around, her eyes full of tears as she screamed, wanting a reason, anything for why he abandoned her long ago, why he had betrayed her now... -misao


Somewhere in Between 

**Somewhere in Between**  
by mystasia (Jen)  
  
**Prologue: Moving Legends**  
  
Her raven hair whipped around her as she ran away from death's pursuit. Her sapphire violet eyes were wild with fear and determination. Heading deeper into the forest, she looked back to see her stalker advancing closer to her. Fear gripped her heart as she ran into a small clearing and found nowhere else to go. She looked sharply around her, holding her shuriken in a position to attack. He came out of nowhere and surrounded her using her ancestor's water flowing technique. His twin blades glittered in the moonlight as he surrounded her.   
  
Rei watched her beloved surround her, holding the cloak tighter around her body, trying to keep warm from the increasing cold his technique was causing. "Jun. Onegai, Jun listen to me. Onegai? Don't do this…"   
  
Her pleading voice seemed to reach him as he lowered his kodachis; his cobalt eyes were hidden by his raven black bangs. She reached out to him, smiling as she placed her hand on his cheek. "Jun…"   
  
The snow fell around the young couple as they stayed in the little moment. Jun felt the presence take over him again, as the iciness set on his heart again. "Rei… run!"   
  
Rei's eyes widened. "Iie! Jun fight it! You have to! ONEGAI!!"   
  
He pushed her away, hoping to give her a head start before he would once again become the cold-blooded assassin from hell. Rei's eyes widened again when she barely managed to avoid Jun's kodachis. "Jun!! STOP!!!"   
  
He ignored her and continued to attack her. Rei could still feel her heart beating fast as she dodged. _I can't go on forever. Jun… _  
  
Rei felt the darkness once again take over her for this one last time, and she was strengthened, but she lost conscious in the darkness. She and Jun exchanged attacks again and again. This went on until finally, Jun's kodachis hit her heart and at the exact same moment her shuriken hit his. They fell into each other's embrace, dying together. Their blood covered the virgin snow around them as they uttered their last words. "…ai..aishiteru."   
  
~*~  
  
_'Ne, Omasu. Where's Jiya?'_  
  
Faster, faster, faster. The mantra repeated itself inside her mind as her legs carried her faster and faster towards her destination.  
  
_'He's...Aoshi-sama...'_  
  
Misao's mind, too occupied with her thoughts did not register the small rock, until she tripped over it. Gasping as she tumbled down, Misao thrust her arms out to push herself back upwards, and continued running, her heart hoping against all hope that she would not be too late.  
  
_'Where?'   
  
'The old Oniwabanshuu lookout in the mountains.'_  
  
In the distance, Misao could see the outline of the small building, and running quicker than she ever had, with renewed energy she pushed forward. Throwing the door open, only to see her beloved mentor's twin blades reflected by the light as it struck her Jiya. Time slowed, then stopped as her body remained unmoving, not even flinching when Okina's blood struck her, not even when the one person she loved most, turned to her with that gleam in his icy eyes. She remained this way until he took his first step towards her, his kodachis still drawn, and instinctively her hand went to her kunai, hidden in her clothes, as she took a step back. He continued walking towards her, then past her, without any acknowledgment of her, and even then she moved mechanically, the only thing that she could utter was, "Doushite?"   
  
And she received no answer, but only the pause in his stride, and his cold gaze on her back.   
  
"Doushite?! Aoshi-sama, why?" She whipped around, her eyes full of tears as she screamed, wanting a reason, anything for why he abandoned her long ago, why he had betrayed her now. He turned his back to her and continued, calling coldly over his shoulder. "Don't ever let me see your face again."  
  
And it wasn't until he disappeared through the trees did she collapse, and Makimachi Misao did the one thing she rarely ever did, she let herself cry.   
  
_Aoshi-sama...why? _Misao wept, her hoarse sobs echoing through the forest, reaching Aoshi's ears, causing him to stop, and he shut his eyes against the sound, steeling his heart even more as he left behind a broken woman.  
  
~*~  
  
Somewhere in between these two worlds, a lone figure looked upon these scenes with tears running down her cheeks, her silvery eyes taking in the heartache.   
  
"Hikari-sama?" Two soft voices called from behind her, and the beautiful goddess turned around to look at her two trusted servants. The two individuals, High Priest and Priestess of her temple stood together, looks of worry etched across their features. Straightening, she grimly dismissed their concern with a wave of her hand. "I am fine. But I'm afraid we do not have long. We have much to do before the moon cycle ends."  
  
The female stepped forward, surprised. "You mean...?"  
  
Hikari nodded solemnly, "Hai, the legend has begun to move. We have until the moon cycle ends before the stars align. We must act quickly..." She paused before adding quietly, "...both worlds depend on this."

**_tbc...(?)_**

****Author's Notes**** Minna! Ohayo! I've missed you guys! If some of you remember way back when, I started a fic called, From Amidst the Winter's Snow. Well, I'm taking the concept I had before, and adding a bit more to it. Warning: This fic is going to be a bit angsty, confusing, and supernatural. Anyone interested on me continuing? 


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